Teacher's Unions Act Like Thugs in Adelanto

The WSJ has an article today on how parents in Adelanto, CA near Victorville, were harassed over their desire to get a decent education for their kids at Desert Trails Elementary. Further, after they successfully petitioned under California's "Parent Trigger Law" for changes to the governance of their school; at least two parents had their names forged or altered on a rescission document. With teachers unions acting like such thugs, why do we let these people educate our children? Because the thugs are mostly from the unions; the teachers themselves aren't so bad. But teachers should reconsider the support they give to their union, it is giving teachers a bad name.

Few dispute that Desert Trails Elementary fails its students, yet last week the Adelanto school district ruled that the trigger drive lacks majority support because 97 parents rescinded their original petitions.

But based on interviews we've conducted and sworn affidavits we've reviewed, it's clear that many parents were harassed into rescinding.

In the Desert Trails parking lot and at front doors across Adelanto, strangers confronted parents and spread untruths about the trigger drive: that it would force the immediate closure of Desert Trails, for example, or result in the firing of all teachers, or cause certain children to be expelled. Some parents heard the trigger drive was an embezzlement scheme. Others had their immigration status questioned.

. . .

At least three Adelanto parents have also signed affidavits swearing that the rescission documents bearing their signatures were doctored before being delivered (in photocopied form) to the district.

And from the LA Times:

Those involved in the rescission effort, including the California Teachers Assn., the Adelanto District Teachers' Assn. and Chrissy Alvarado, a parent leader opposed to the parent trigger petition, denied any wrongdoing.